The Darien Gap - Yes, again.
 

I'm looking into options of what to do when I arrive in Bogota. If I decide to carry on to Central America, what are folk doing to get across the Darien Gap ?

As far as I know, the road is not yet finished.

Ted...first think is to find good place and get nice cold beer...beer

Safe ride

Ted, there seen to be three standard ways to cross the gap.

Option 1 - take the Stahlratte - a 110 year old sailing ship that is run by Captain Ludwig (a real character) and between June and December specialises in a 3 day voyage taking people and their bikes across the gap. I used it last year and cost was approximately US$1300 for bike and one person. Highly recommended as a great experience. Down side is they run to a schedule of approximately once every two- three weeks and you need to book in advance. Search them on Facebook for more details.

Option 2 - Air cargo out of Bogota. About $1000 for bike. So total cost is about the same as Stahlratte by the time you but your own ticket and pay a few airport clearing costs in Panama (clearing in Panama is simple). Gives you more flexibility than Stahlratte but much more boring.

Option 3 - Try and share a container with a four wheel vehicle owner trying to cross the gap. Potentially the cheapest (but maybe not by a huge amount), but unless you are exceedingly lucky likely to be an exercise in frustration finding a person who want bra to sail at the same time as you.

The choice is yours - but bottom line is whilst Option 1 is more fun, option 2 is also well tried and easily available at short notice - so there is always a way of making the crossing.

Happy planning

Sent from my Moto G (5S) Plus using Tapatalk

Ted, you know all of this from the era of your previous username. Not much has changed since then: it's all gotten more expensive, Fritz has long since gone belly-up (literally), and the through road remains a vague, shimmering fantasy.

Although: in addition to the options listed above, there are also freight boats (a.k.a. banana boats) and pangas if you've got the patience and fortitude. Plus there was that guy who made a raft powered by his KLR a few years back....

If you manage to catch up with that famous globetrotting couple Javier and Sandra, offer my hellos.

Mark

(Edit for spelling.)

I was listening to Spencer Conway on Adventure Rider Radio who used the flight from Bogotá into Panama option. He had a major issue after leaving the airport as someone had removed a piece of paper from his pack. He had gone about 30km when he was pulled over by police and a customs person who asked for the piece of paper that had been removed - then demanded $3000. It became clear after a few days that the people that had stopped him were not police. He made it clear that before you leave the airport check that you have all the paperwork that you need.

The tour sounded great.

Sadly, he's not sailing that way until April 2020 again.

https://www.facebook.com/stahlratte/

I think that is a 1/1000000 situation. He does seem to get himself into these outlandish situations. Great advertising isn't it. :innocent:

Having experienced the Central American border crossings on my way to South America, I wasn't eager to do that again on the return trip. So I flew me and the bike from Bogota to Miami. It was an easy ride home from there.

That was 10 years ago and I don't know if that option is still available, or if that's perhaps an option for you.

Bike Bogota to Miami
 

A friend of mine just flew his BMW GS 800 from Bogota to Miami so its perfectly feasible. PM me if you wan the details

When do you think the WILL be a road going thru?? I haven't heard about this for a long time. Would be a great boon for Panama and Columbia! bier

I very much doubt there will be a road in our lifetimes - there's a great deal of politics involved, drugs, AND a great deal of interest in the ecological side of it too. NO ONE wants a road except travellers and drug smugglers.

Stahlratte stopped it's service
 

https://www.stahlratte.org

The ship was sold and will be on it's way to Europe.

There's no political will to build the road. It's just as easy from a trade perspective to ship stuff, and people with business (Colombians in Panamá and vice versa) fly between the two. As noted, no one wants a road except overlanders...

Wow! The end of a legend, I think!

Steel Rat Update
 

Not to late? 1 final voyage from Mexico to Cuba!! March to April 2021
Sold and Lulu says it will stay in Mexico for the time being,, don't know what their plans are for it? I am sure after some future considerations, virus and probably new border restrictions, there will be someone to fill the void? Hope so!!

As always carefull on who you choose for crossing , some good, most bad.